Norman Sammons Jr., a doctoral student in chemical engineering, is the recipient
of an Environmental Protection Agency Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowship.
Sammons is currently pursuing a master's degree in business administration along
with his doctorate in chemical engineering at Auburn University and received his
bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
His individual fellowship will award approximately $111,000 over three years to
perform research under the direction of Mario Eden in the chemical engineering
department. Sammons is developing a decision-making framework that enables identification
of the products and processing routes corresponding to optimum economical and
environmental performance for integrated biorefineries.

"Norm is certainly very deserving of this award," said Chris Roberts, department
chair and Uthlaut professor in chemical engineering. "He is an excellent student,
and we look forward to seeing where his research on biorefineries and alternative
energy solutions leads."

Sammons is one of two Auburn students to receive a STAR award this year. This
highly competitive program offers approximately 100 fellowships each year nationwide
for students in environmental fields of study -- awarding more than $9.5 million
overall.